Month: June 2018

European Council calls the Commission to “swiftly” explore the concept of “regional disembarkation platforms”, in close cooperation with relevant third countries as well as UNHCR and IOM. Such platforms should operate distinguishing individual situations, in full respect of international law and without creating a pull factor, the conclusions of the meeting of heads of states and governments read.

In order to “definitively break” the business model of the smugglers, preventing tragic loss of life, the EU Council considers necessary to eliminate the incentive to embark on dangerous journeys along Mediterranean. The new approach to the problem is based on shared or complementary actions among the Member States to the disembarkation of those who are saved in Search And Rescue operations.

The new strategy of reception of illegal migrants outside the EU territory reminds experts an Australian systems, functioning both direction – saving lives of illegal migrants in sea, and the same time protecting national borders.

EU measures to curb illegal #migration paid off: illegal arrivals dropped by 96% since their peak in October 2015.

However Italian Interior minister Matteo Salvini announced his interest to see the EU passing for concrete actions, namely against those NGOs who help smuggling illegal migrants in Europe: “STOP human traffic, stop helping accomplices! #stopinvasion!”, he wrote in his microblog.

The discussion over the text of conclusions about migration went through the last night, representing a challenge to reconcile positions of Italy, and southern European countries at forefront of migration flows, and Visegrad Four group, supported by Austrian upcoming presidency, insisting that instead of the change of Dublin regulation and relocation of migrants through the EU, the support and solidarity among member-states can be introduced on goodwill basis. The reform of Dublin is left to next EU Presidency to deal with. Austria Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has already announced a number of initiatives to curb illegal migration.

President Vladimir Putin assessed Russian engagement in Syria as a “uniqueexperience” for military, and an “important mission” aimed at protection of interests of Russian citizens, he underlined that those who sacrificed their lives defeating terrorism will be “never forgotten“. The President said that Russian military presence in Syria is fulfilled within the framework of international law, and the assistance in big-scale combat operation of the Syrianarmy in not needed any more, while the major focus has shifted towards political resolution of the conflict. The comments were made during ‘direct line’ emission.

Thousands of insurgents accumulated in Syria, and it was better to neutralize them there, than let them enter Russian Federation through Central Asian open borders, Putin continued. At present there is no more need in large-scale combat operations, the President ensured, while the political resolution of the conflict is on the agenda.

However two Russian military locations – Tartus and Khmeimim Air Base in Syria will stay as long as “beneficial and needed” to defend Russian interests in this “close to Russia region“.

The President explained that there are no permanent constructions on the territory of both Russian basis in Syria , and in case of necessity, the military can be moved out swiftly.

“The experience in Syria is a precious for our troops, but Syria is not a test site for Russian weapons“, Putin continued, “Russian specialists adjusted already functioning systems to in the field, in the combat situations”.

A significant number of Russian officers and generals had an opportunity to participate in missions in Syria, accumulating experience of combat operations, allowing to make one more step to “perfect our military“.

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Anna van Densky. OPINION. This week Brussels institutional freedom of speech reached a new low, when the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has been confronted with the demands of withdrawing his comments on corruption in Italy. During a public exchange of views, the top EU executive referred to corruption and insufficient efforts as the key obstacles, blocking the development of the poorest regions in the south of Apennines peninsula.

“Italians have to take care of the poor regions of Italy. That means more work; less corruption; seriousness,” Junckersaid. “We will help them as we always did. But don’t play this game of loading with responsibility the EU. A country is a country, a nation is a nation. Countries first, Europe second”. These words caused the whirlwind of emotions from newly endorsed vice-prime minister Matteo Salvini, numerous political personalities, and even the president of the European Parliament (from Italian origin) Antonio Tajani, – all of them indignant about Juncker referring to the well-established facts. Yes, objectively speaking, there is a huge problem of corruption in Italy, regarded as plague first of all by the Italians themselves.

According to the official statistics corruption, including political one, remains a major challenge, particularly in southern Italy, affecting Calabria, Campina, and Sicily, where citizens suffer from its consequences at most. Transparency International annual reports indicate Italy has been consistently assessed as one of the most corrupt countries in the Eurozone. While 2017 Corruption Perception Index ranks Italy 54th place out of 180 countries. Scoring on a par with Montenegro, Senegal and South Africa. Yearly the crime of corruption causes Italians a damage of €60 billion .

However an attempt to smother Juncker with ‘politically correct’ banning from public debate the tensions in eurozone is not a unique episode in European political life, it is a chronic syndrome. A year ago then the chair of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem came under the fire for his criticism of abuse of solidarity by heavily indebted countries of the EU south. The degree of indignation had amounted to demands of resignation put forward by Spainand Portugal. However the most striking in rude tone was the comment from Italy: “He has missed a perfect opportunity to shut up,” former Italian Socialist Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote in a Facebook post. “The sooner he goes, the better.”

The entire calamity was caused by the Dutchman remarks to a German newspaper: “As a social democrat, I think that solidarity is extremely important. But whoever benefits also has duties,” he added. “I can’t spend all my money on booze and women and then ask for your support.” It was the allegory implied to illustrate the role of corruption and tax evasion in ongoing Greek financial crisis that caused the indignation, not the depressing reality. The Transparency International estimated Greek tax evasion figures between €11 – €16 billion per annum ‘not collectable’, and the corruption also played ‘massive role’ in an outbreak of financial crisis. Dijsselbloem survived the criticism, so did his corrupt foes.

One year later the situation of tensions between the north and south of eurozone reflected in Dijsselbloem polemics has not improved in a meaningful way, but instead of fighting grim realities of corruption, the Italian politicians almost unanimously prefer to put some makeup on a face touched by leprosy, while the northern societies reject to accept the trick, requesting accountability. Dijsselbloem then, and Juncker now said what millions of taxpayers in the north of Europe know and think, and silencing them one guarantees the rising pressure of their discontent, because they are the ones to endorse the checks.

Obviously, the expected contemporary modus operandi of the presidents of European institutions, reserving them a role of modern royals – smiling to cameras and shaking hands, plus signing big checks for charity – will not please the EU taxpayers from the northern countries. Being the donors to the southern economies, where a portion of their transfers is systematically disappearing in the pockets of the corrupt, they are increasingly concerned about the profile of the recipients of their funds.

With the upcoming departure of the UK, the second net contributor to the EU budget, the monitoring of funds transferred from donors to recipients in the bloc will be much more keen. It is possible to smother the heads of the EU institutions by ‘politically correct’ reserving them a public role of mute modern royals, but it will hit back, undermining the trust in EU institutions, unable to defend the European values.

“Sans la liberté de blâmer, il n’est pas d’éloge flatteur”, Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (“Where there is no freedom of blaming, there can be no genuine praise”).

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Latest: EUROPE DIPLOMATIC

“Today with the Foreign Ministers we will discuss first and foremost the situation in Yemen. I discussed yesterday on the phone with the Special Envoy of the United Nations for Yemen [Martin] Griffiths on how the European Union and the Member States can best support his work in this crucial moment that could be or become an […]

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World: AFRICA DIPLOMATIC

On 19 November 2018, the Council adopted conclusions on Sudan, which remains crucial for the peace and stability of the wider Horn of Africa. The Council reaffirms the EU’s readiness to engage in an evolving dialogue and cooperation with Khartoum, depending on progress shown by Sudan in committing to internal reforms, including human rights and good governance, facilitation […]

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Describing the scale of the animal abuse in Chinese trade in donkey hides and its devastating impact for local communities in developing countries, especially in Africa, the Members of the European Parliament called for an urgency of action to protect the equidae as an indefensible contributor to harmonious rural lifestyle. During the European Parliament Strasbourg […]

EU and South African leaders reviewed relations and discussed ways of intensifying and broadening their cooperation, at this 7thsummit between the two sides, which took place 100 years after Nelson Mandela’s birth. The summit is an opportunity for the leaders to advance bilateral cooperation, including trade, as well as multilateralism and the rules-based order. The […]

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Wine: Vineyards Paper

Masseto takes a leading role in the Christie’s Auction in Hong Kong with Rare Library Releases and an exceptional ‘preview’ of Masseto 2015 in Hong Kong The ‘Premier Preview Masseto 2015’ lots achieve an equivalent price of € 1,036 per 750ml bottle Masseto, Italy’s most collectable estate, is proud to announce the results of the […]

Benefit auction of Ornellaia Wines at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London brings total of £ 123.000 (€ 140.000) On the event of the tenth edition of the Vendemmia d’Artista project, Ornellaia has raised above of 2 Million euros to benefit art foundations and museums across the globe through the project to date. Ornellaia was […]

The 14th edition of the Grands Jours de Bourgogne in March welcomed just over 2,300 wine industry professionals and journalists. With 51% new visitors, equivalent to 1,171 wine industry professionals and journalists out of a total of 2,311 visitors, the 2018 edition of the Grands Jours de Bourgogne was a real success. Indeed, the Grands […]

Ristorante Ornellaia opens its doors today to the public just off one of the world’s most luxurious and exclusive streets, the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, with the entrance in Sankt Annagasse 2. The celebrated Bolgheri-based wine estate, founded in 1981 has opened its first restaurant with Bindella, its life-long importer and ambassador in Switzerland, renowned […]

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Eleonora Marconi as the new winemaker of Masseto, under the supervision of Axel Heinz, Masseto Estate Director. Eleonora discovered her passion for wine back in high school, when she trained as a sommelier. From there she began studying for a degree in oenology at the Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona, Italy, which led to […]

In 1991, the purchase of a vineyard of American grapevines led to the birth of the first 15 hectares of the Cru “I Feudi di Romans”, created with a mission of consciousness and awareness to totally respect this land. Today, the Lorenzon company is considered one of the best wine-producing companies in Friuli Venezia Giulia, […]

The smallest Prosecco Consortium established in 2009 is punching above its weight: experiments on native yeasts, promotion of autochthonous varieties and wine tourism. The recently released institutional bottle is the symbol of this steady growth. From 2013 to 2016 Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG has been increasing at a very fast pace, to say the […]

On 15 March the 12-litre Ornellaia 2015 will go under the hammer of the London auction house, alongside first-release Ornellaia Bianco 2014 and 2015 magnums Ornellaia 2015 “Il Carisma” will play a starring role next 15 March when it goes under the hammer for the “Fine & Rare Wines” event hosted by the […]

We tasted: Chardonnay Brut This Chardonnay Brut, has the classic Charmat method of elaboration, which is the second fermentation of the wine, at low temperatures. Clean in color and with greenish features with fine and delicate bubbles. Aromas of tropical fruit, lemon, with touches of toasted bread and some almonds. In the mouth, pleasant, […]

The Miolo Winery is close to finishing the 2018 harvest with a realization: for at least 6 years there was no climate so favorable for the quality of the vintage in Rio Grande do Sul. So far, in this decade, there were 2 harvests of exceptional quality: 2011 and 2012, but none will exceed the […]